DTS Laserdiscs....... (1 Viewer)

[Tom Blizzard]

1st: Thanks Declan for the link to
http://www.dvdscan.com/ great site. It is very analytical the way they rank everything as a percentage...........

2nd: Dan, I'm using Polk RT-55 speakers in my home theater at all five locations with a Velodyne sub.. Of course the Polks are very capable of handling bass down to and well below 80 cycles.

3rd: I have my 704 hooked up to a new Onkyo 600 receiver downstairs with 6 NHT superzeros and a Velodyne sub. That said, you guys have "encouraged" me to do some extensive A/B comparison between the two systems using my dts LD.

again, glad to see this thread

 

[Tim Glover]

hey Dan,

I'm using NHT speakers as well. I use 5 VS-2's and a Velodyne ULD-18 sub.

Not having the cinema eq engaged would lend to a brighter sound and I usually leave it off. It still sounds muffled.

I may try and borrow a reciever and/or ld player and compare.

 

[Declan]

Mission 6-pack.......... dunno what they are called by in the US but thats the UK name for this set.

http://www.homecinemachoice.com/test...emaSixPack.jpg

 

[John Knowles]

For those of you who have it, how is the Babe dts LD? I've been waiting for years to get this on DVD in WS and am thinking of seeking out the LD.

 

[Jacinto]

I'm watching the True Lies DTS LD right now, and it sounds incredible! Plenty of bass, crystal clear sound... I'm really puzzled by the problems some of you guys are having with DTS LDs. Just thinking on the page here, but is it possible that some brand new DTS processors have trouble when it comes to the bitrate that old LD's are encoded at? Maybe that's why they work fine with newer DTS DVDs, but the LDs sound off?

I don't know what else to offer because since this thread started, I've watched several of my DTS LDs, and frankly, I've been amazed at their sound all over again.

 

[Armand G]

I really don't know what the problems are. I have a denon AVC-A1 SR (AVR-5803)and DTS laserdiscs sound amazing. There is definately something wrong when DD dvd's sound better than DTS lasers.It's sad to hear that it doesn't sound the way it's supposed to.

 

[Mark_Wilson]

I had Babe DTS LD for a while. Still have the PCM version. I didn't think Babe really lent itself to DTS. Its a dialog driven movie. Casper on the other hand...

 

[Tom Blizzard]

Quote: "Jacinto
Denver, CO
Member------------------------
Local Date and Time:
February 19th, 2003
04:18 PM Member Since:
July 8th, 2002

I'm watching the True Lies DTS LD right now," (end quote)


Jacinto,
Since you've mentioned this, I've just gotta ask. Do you notice little, if any at all bass, before Harry T. blows up the 55 gallon drum when he "shows" the guard his invitation???
I mean , like, if necessary, go over to your sub and touch the cone. The cone on my 15 inch sub is still and quiet untill that explosion. Even during the title/into of the film.

thanks, Tom B. :frowning:

 

[TonyD]

i have the pioneer 606 and my dts laser of hunchback sounds better then anything i have heard.

by that i mean the dts hunchback sounds superior, but by no means do i imply that myy other dts lasers are inferior to anything.

 

[Jacinto]

Tom,

There was good, strong, low bass coming through during the score for the opening titles. Maybe it's just REALLY low, but you should be hearing all the way down with your sub. I've got an HGS-18, so there shouldn't be too big of a difference. After that, it dies down a bit, and barely makes itself know during the scuba/party/hacking/tango sequences. But when Arnie shows the guard his invitation, all hell breaks loose, sonically speaking.

 

[Tom Blizzard]

Thanks,
I believe it is possibly a "level" difference via the preamp/processors. But I'm not sure!!??
I just did a A-B dolby digital(AC-3) vs dts comparison between the two LDs and here's what I found.

First, I listened to the dts disc with my hand on the subwoofer cone the whole first 15 minutes of the movie.
Except for the dts intro, the sub's cone had very very little or no movement till around (#1) 12 min. 26 sec into the movie...... then (#2) at 14 min 30 sec. i.e.: (the BIG explosion), and then a very little movement of the cone: (#3) at 15 min. 10 sec., i.e. (the airliner landing in Washington). there was very very little or no movement during the "chase" scene down the hill and during the gunfire. Other than those three scenes indicated above, there was little or no movement or indication of any audio information coming from the sub.

Second, I listened to the same sequence(s) using my DD (AC-3) LD.
I need to mention that the DD disc has a little different scene times since there is a longer intro. before the movie (as follows):
Of course the DD "Train Trailer" and the THX trailer at the beginning were "loaded" with bass. Now to the movie:
1. First noticed small cone movement during the 20th Cent Fox intro. and the Lightstorm intro.
2. Around 7 minutes I felt the cone moving as the "background beat" came on as Harry went up to the computer.
3. At 9 min and 30 Sec. and 9 min. 55 sec. there is more cone movement..... due to background music and/or the orchestra playing.

4. Then around 10 min. and 20 seconds, when Harry asks her to "Tango" the music gives the subwoofer a noticable cone movement. This continues through 11 minutes and 29 seconds as they continue to dance.
5. Of course the BIG explosion is BIG.............. and then the DD track keeps the sub moving when Harry "slaps" the dogs heads together and with every gunshot there is a lot of cone movement and the Bass is much bigger than the dts disc when the jet lands in Wahsington.

Wow, this is.. l o n g... if it doesn't make sense.............. just ask. Opinions appreciated, please.

 

[Declan]

Tony wrote:

i think you 2 guys misread my post.....

well i know I did.......... now. Sorry Tony.



as for Ture Lies, it may be a case of the DTS having a truer LFE signal than the DD5.1. But God the DD laser sounds great all the same.

 

[Lyle_JP]

and the dvd of hunchback does not have dts on it.

Mine does. (And no, I don't have the sequel so I'm not confused.)

-Lyle J.P.

 

[Tom Blizzard]

Thanks again guys for this thread..............

Well, I took my two True Lies LDs downstairs and I was very surprised at the results. I need to tell you right here and now that I am not a "hostile witness"......... I want very much for the dts discs to sound better and be better in EVERY way.

With those comments, all I can do is tell you what I discovered from my CLD-704, Onkyo TX-SR600, Velodyne sub, and 6 (using 5) each NHT Superzero speakers. My crossover for the sub is set on the Onkyo at 100 hertz. I'm using "direct out" from the sub.

At first, I skipped over the dts intro and went right to the 20th Century Fox and Lightspeed intro. I set my volume a little higher than normal so it was plenty loud. The "auto on" for the sub did not even activate and turn the sub on untill the "Big explosion" when Harry T. showed the guard his invitation. I then went back and manually turned "on" the sub from the beginning of the movie and experienced the same results that I had with my system upstairs........ very little or no bass during the title intro, little or no bass during the tango, GREAT BASS during the explosion, little or no bass when Harry slammed the two dog's heads together, no bass during the chase/ski bit and little or no bass when the airliner landed in Washington.

I do not have an AC-3 (DD) demodulater for my Onkyo 600 and of course it is not built in, so I could not check the DD 5.1 soundtrack. However, I did find the PCM track to be outstanding with excess amounts of bass, had to turn down my sub. This probably wasn't a fair comparison.

The thing I'm glad to settle is to find that there is probably nothing wrong with my decoder upstairs and the dts disc just isn't encoded the same as the DD, AC-3, 5.1 LD. Of course this is old news and the subject of endless debates for the past 5 or 6 years.

I am certainly open for knowledgable comments and suggestions.........
This is great, I've sure enjoyed the past few hours working with this!!!!!!!

P.S. Now I'm going to take my dts and DD 5.1 copies of Disney's "Hunchback" and do an A-B comparison........... I can tell you one thing........ the picture quality of the dts disc is better than the DD disc!

 

[Dan Hitchman]

Tom,

It's possible that your sub/satellite set up is holding you back. Especially since your crossover is at a high 100 Hz and most subs are not designed for frequencies above 80 Hz or so. You could be getting a gap in frequency response. Highs and low bass, but a lack of the crucial mid-range.

I've noticed that it's really tough to blend satellites and a sub together, especially if the speakers are smallish and possibly lacking in bass response themselves.

Even comparing my setup at home to a friend of mine who has an even better pre-amp, amp, and matching speaker package, the difference is there. His home theater brings the benefits even more to the surface. I was flabbergasted with Casper. It had sounded really good at home, but on his it was even more amazing (he still has his Casper DTS LD and won't part with it)!

Dan

 

[Michael D. Bunting]

I would like to throw a mention of "Strange Days" on DTS LD to this discussion if I may.

The opening scene in the car (if I remember correctly?) sounds simply amazing - with dialogue flying back and fourth on all speakers...

I need to watch this one again soon to hear it again - but I think it impressed me the most out of the DTS LD's that I have heard...

I also have these other DTS LD's:

From Dusk Till Dawn
The Game
Last Man Standing
The Rock
Scream
Spawn
Stargate
Titanic
Vertigo

And I think I'm going to try and get a few more here sometime if I can...

 

[Tom Blizzard]

Dan, thanks for the comment and suggestion,
----- When I started the A-B check yesterday I noticed that my sub crossover was set at 80 hertz on the Onkyo. As you might know, it has been well documented that the Superzeros have NO response below 100 hertz.
-----(I especially remember Cory Greenberg's review in Stereophile several years ago when he raved about the Superseros)....... in any case, my Velodyne downstairs is an 8 inch sub (better able to go above 80 hertz than my 15 inch Velodyne upstairs) and since I'm not using the sub's crossover, I figured (possibly incorrectly) that it might be better to let the sub fill in the 80 up to 100 hertz segment of the spectrum. Rather than trying to let the Superzeros fill in the 100 down to 80 hertz area. So, that's why I set my crossover as such.
----- Thanks for your suggestion!

----- To me, the biggest advantages of dts LD technology are the subtle ambient sounds that are all around you during a sountrack. You know, quiet conversation in a resturant, the sounds of glasses, silverware, the wind, the leaves, etc., etc. Don't get me wrong, I love the deep bass and the great explosions, but the "details" just send chills up my spine. I agree that "Casper" does this in many ways........ what a great soundtrack......a proverbial "jawdropping experience."
________Regards, Tom B._________

 

[Aaron Reynolds]

To me, the biggest advantages of dts LD technology are the subtle ambient sounds that are all around you during a sountrack.

While not a DTS LD junkie (due to financials more than anything else), this quote totally sums up why I love PCM on LDs. One of my favourite scenes for this is the opening in the bank in Out of Sight.

(See, I came across the most ubelieveable two-channel amp, an Ashly FET-500, and I can't find anything else that I can afford that sounds anywhere near as nice, so I'll just forgo DTS for now and stick with my beloved PCM. )

 

[Tim Glover]

This thread started out with the interest and love for dts laserdiscs and I feel some guilt in reporting my dts laserdisc issues. I didn't mean to change the threads intent so much.

Sorry if my posts have been discouraging to some. I'm sure my case is very, very rare as these dts ld's have quite a "legendary" reputation.

Thanks to all who've offered suggestions. When I get back from my weekend trip, I'm going to really begin the quest to find out what's wrong.

Cheers!

 

[LDfan]

How is The Game in DTS? I have the DVD and the Criterion LaserDisc but it's only in DD.


Jeff